


Lydia-Reminisce

by JanaLfaust



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-25 00:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22006681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JanaLfaust/pseuds/JanaLfaust
Summary: Lydia Mordia remembers and details her romance with another Noble as her home burns.





	Lydia-Reminisce

“We met at a ball, at least I believe that’s the first time we met”  
The words left Lydia’s mouth without her realising she’d broken the silence as she gazed vacantly out at the vast fields she was meant to inherit, now aflame. She slowly crouched then sat cross legged as the sunset began to dye everything not lit by flames a deep golden orange. 

“Father had me in a dress he’d had tailored based off of old measurements and his sense of fashion, which is to say it had far too much gold and silver thread woven into it for my taste, I have worn chainmail that’s less heavy. This is to say, I was thankful I’d smuggled my suit in with me.  
“I think, some part of him actually cared if I was happy with who I was married off too, that part must have been largely ignored in favor of his incessant want to ‘secure a strong blood-line’ or to attempt to play some role as a genius social manipulator within all of this mess.”

The sun, hanging low, caused Lydia to appear entirely golden, glowing. The light trapped in her long white hair, as her pale hands undid the binding that kept it in a tight bun it fell over her back, strands of it catching on the studs of her leather armour. The blaze, burning through the fields of wheat, had begun to engulf a windmill. There was only another hour or so left before it wound its way to the ancestral home of House Mordia. 

“Of course, I never was one to indulge father’s plans, this was always going to be the end result” She remarked, her head indicating the flames creeping up to the gates of the estate.

“That night, However, had she not been there. I would have been on my best behaviour, but to see her, in black and gold, forgoing the colours of her family to dress in the garb of colours chosen entirely of her own volition. I felt almost compelled to watch as she glided through the ballroom, enchanting everyone she came across, a smile and a polite laugh being all they got before she had drifted to another group. She was radiant, glowing and seemingly entirely unreal as she finally approached me.  
“I’d been talking with some barons from the western stretches, saying how lovely it was to make their acquaintance, the usual pomp. She caught me off guard as she approached. For someone who had such a presence her footsteps were so quiet, for someone so mesmerising it was almost a shock to see her approaching me, eyes locked. Her visage, such as that of angels, was even more beautiful up close. I nearly found myself too lost in the forests of her eyes ask if she cared to dance.”

A torn banner off in the distance was kissed by the embers as winds pushed the fire closer and closer to the manor Lydia had spent her youth. Silver and blue were on their way to become blackened ruins of their former bright selves. 

“Fortunately, for myself, the answer was yes. We made a rather large impression that night, her in colours of no house in particular, and me, outside of the garb one might call traditional for my gender. Spectacular as both of us appeared, I have to say that it’s a miracle the two of us were able to dance quite as well as we did. Somewhat talented though I am, she did confess to me that she was normally rather terrible at it herself.   
We spoke a lot that evening, spending most of it neglecting the particulars of us being there. Awful dancer though she was, her way with words more than made up for it, her articulation leaving me feeling more flustered than any point we were in contact.   
Do you want me to continue?”

Lydia tentatively glanced to her side as she said this, finally having worked up the courage to check on her companions form. Emile was still, in the light of the fading sun he almost looked peaceful, his dark hair appearing wet from rain, as opposed to the copious blood loss of losing his ear. The light glistened off of his breastplate, making the rift in it even more apparent. His ragged breathing had steadily slowed more and more, the sound was absent now, the crackle of distant flames and the sound of the wind being the solitary thing to keep silence from setting in.

“I suppose I’m already aware of the answer, you always hated unfinished stories. Very well, I suppose I shall continue, you always were insufferable about this sort of thing and I don’t think it’s fair to stop humouring you now.  
“We spent some time that evening planning possibilities of correspondence, planning how it was that we should continue the romance it appeared had formed between the two of us. We settled on the idea that, as opposed to spending time discussing things through letters, that because of the relative proximity of our lands, we should simply meet and as we would both be able to manage a relatively short journey.  
“The next time I saw her was in neutral territory, it belonged to some baron, Durst I believe, We met in an inn that surprisingly, served finer food than I have been served at several banquets. We spent the night drinking, jesting and flirting, of course. We planned to go hunting in the nearby forests the next day. However, would you imagine the shock we both felt upon finding the Inn in which we stayed only had one bed prepared for us, something neither of us could have expected.”

A small smile crept upon Lydia’s face, the embellishment somewhat cliched amongst romantic stories, normally such a detail wouldn’t be and addition Lydia would have considered. However, Emile always did enjoy cliches in stories of romance, even if the ending was unfortunately predictable. 

“The next morning I learnt that though she had a hard time picking up footwork her skill with both Crossbow and Rifle were unmatched. She managed to secure both a boar and deer that day. We donated the meat and pelt to the tavern owner and the next time we visited the place, two new trophies were hanging upon the wall.  
“I don’t know if you’ve ever seen someone you already considered beautiful show off a talent she kept almost entirely hidden from you. It was as if another face had been shown to me, and it was somehow just as beautiful despite being kept hidden.  
We made trips to that Inn happened every two months for almost a year, we attempted writing letters, however we both found it only made us long for each other’s company even more.  
“Eventually a point came when we decided that meeting for only two or three days at a time simply wasn’t enough. We organised a trip to a cabin in the middle of her territory, in the mountains. We intended to spend a week or so there before travelling back to our respective families. This “Hunting Trip” was the point I intended to discuss some things with her in more length, regarding the future of our relationship. I believe at that point I would gladly have given anything for her, even my title as Heir. She was worth it.” 

Lydia’s eyes dropped at this. Though she had been content to gaze at the flames as they licked up towards the mansion she ish to watch as they began to catch it’s walls, beginning to end the legacy of her house for good. Unable to place her eyes anywhere else but her friend she opted to close them, images of her love filling her mind. 

“I believe you’re smart enough to know what interrupted all of that.  
I don’t think the surprise and frustration I felt at the declarations of war being formed and sent out was anything in comparison to my worry for her. My mind raced to figure out which side of the battle-lines her house was on, to see if there would be any way I could protect her. I felt my heart break upon the realisation that, try as I might, I wouldn’t be able to. I am not a religious woman, I still prayed that I wouldn’t face her on the battlefield.  
“She was here. I wish I didn’t know she was but amongst the chaos I saw what hit our flank, A cavalry unit, all wielding rifles and muskets. I almost didn’t notice them, they were in the shadow of the forest, but I saw the gold glinting from their uniforms. I attempted a counter-charge but, well you know how we paid for that. I wonder if she paid me any kindness, knowing I was here, knowing I might have been hurt.  
“It would have been a weeks time I would have seen her again. There’s an irony, I believe, to the fact that I no longer have to give up anything to be with her. I don’t know if Mother, Father or either of my brothers managed to retreat successfully. It’s not like there’s much left anyway.”

It took lydia another moments to pry her eyes open, to look at her dead friend, and the dying fires of a land once meant to be hers. The sun still shone, though it’s light was slowly getting dimmer and dimmer, leaving the fires of the mansion to cast flickering shadows in the woods near it, as though there may still be something living within them. It took another few long moments, and a great deal of effort for Lydia to stand. She briefly unsheathed her rapier, running her eyes along it’s blade to check if it had been chipped or damaged within the previous battle. 

“I am sorry, my friend, that the last story you heard took so long for me to tell you, and that you were unable to hear all of it. That said, I hope you are satisfied Emile. May the ravens feast on you, as you always said they would. I may join you soon. Fool that I am, I intend to find her, though I am not sure yet as to my purpose. Though I would, in my anger, run through with my blade. I still want to kiss her, to join at her side, to be with her once again.”

With that, lydia turned away from the departed friend, one who had seen her through so much, who had aided her to leave unnoticed for a year, without much questioning. She began to walk towards the path left by the army that had just pushed through, the best route to her lover. Though not a religious woman, Lydia prayed she’d find her in the best circumstances.


End file.
